Fire Fighting Foam Pfos

Pfas free firefighting foams are safer and effective for military use these next few weeks are crunch time in congress for negotiations on the national defense authorization act ndaa.

Fire fighting foam pfos.

Afff used by both civilian and military firefighters. Aqueous film forming foam afff is a fire suppressant used to extinguish flammable liquid fires such as fuel fires. They are persistent i e they do not break down in the environment and since they are used in the manufacturing of so many products they are widespread internationally. Eventually the department of defense used it at all aircraft hangars airfields and aircraft fueling stations among other locations.

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances pfas are the active ingredient in these fluorinated surfactants. Firefighters sprayed foam on structures in the mammoth hot springs complex on 10 september 1988 during the yellowstone fires. This guide covers what you need to do to organise the disposal of fire fighting foams containing pfos. Aqueous film forming foam afff or alcohol resistant ar afff is a highly effective foam used for fighting high hazard flammable liquid fires.

Pfos is banned completely in new zealand and another pfas chemical pfoa is not approved for use in fire fighting foams. Afff is usually created by combining foaming agents with fluorinated surfactants. Pfos based foam was widely adopted. These foams may be in storage in their original containers decanted into other containers or in fire fighting equipment including fire trucks.

Afff is often used in shipboard and shore facility fire suppression systems fire fighting vehicles and at fire training facilities. You may have heard that we are investigating whether fire fighting foams held or in use at airports and other locations contain the pfas chemical pfos. Commercial household products including stain and water repellent fabrics nonstick products e g teflon polishes waxes paints cleaning products and fire fighting foams a major source of groundwater contamination at airports and military bases where firefighting training occurs. Its role is to cool the fire and to coat the fuel preventing its contact with oxygen resulting in suppression of the combustion.